Sunflowers in February is at its core a morbid book. Lily was in a car accident and woke up dead. Death is never an easy topic to face. What comes after death though, is a question I’m sure many of us do wonder about. Sunflowers in February grappled with exactly that, as Lily was in limbo, unable to move on.

Young adult books set in college, or even about the summer before college, aren’t all too common. That’s why I was surprised when I first learnt that American Panda is set at MIT. Well, Mei is 17 years old as she enters a year early but it works out well for this book. Mei had a sheltered upbringing, which is very evident as she tries to find her place at university.

Where do I begin with Love, Hate & Other Filters? Even though it has less than 300 pages, there is so much to unpack! It touches on themes of cultural and religious diversity, to romance, to extremism and terrorism. That might seem like quite a lot but I think they’re dealt with pretty well.

After reading and enjoying Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe last year, I couldn’t wait for The Inexplicable Logic of My Life to be released. On several counts, Sáenz’s book lived up to my expectations. The prose, though simple, once again was stellar! I love introspective characters, and after reading two books from Sáenz, I’m convinced that he’s a master at writing them. And while single parents are ubiquitous in YA fiction, Sal had an adoptive father who was gay, thereby expanding representation for non-traditional families.

The House of New Beginnings to me, was a comforting book to read. Following the lives of three women at crossroads, this is a book that speaks about hope amidst uncertainty. Naturally, what first caught my eye in the synopsis was Rosa, the sous chef. Now, I found out she’s more of a line cook but ultimately, that deviating detail doesn’t matter all too much. She lives and breathes food and that’s where she finds solace.